计入地面附加衰减的声屏障插入损失估算方法*

基于理论推导和计算,给出了公路声屏障声学设计中,在考虑地面附加衰减情况下计算插入损失的方法。该方法综合考虑了有限长线声源无限长声屏障绕射声衰减量、有限长线声源地面衰减量及遮蔽角对插入损失的影响。通过与《声屏障声学设计和测量规范》（HJ/T90-2004）的计算结果的对比,验证了本文所给方法的精确性及可行性,并对规范所给地面衰减修正量进行了商榷。最后,给出了当预测点位于有限长路段中央法线上时,通过计算线声源地面衰减量得到计算插入损失所需参数值,再计算插入损失的简便方法。本研究为存在地面附加衰减情况下有限长声屏障插入损失计算提供了一个新的参考方法。     

Studies of parallel barrier performance by acoustical modeling

An investigation is presented into the performance of parallel barrier configurations, using acoustical scale modeling. A realistic geometry is investigated, with the source being positioned over a paved roadway and the receiver over grass-covered ground. The grass-covered ground surface was properly modeled in terms of its impedance. Results were obtained for a range of barrier types, and demonstrate that frequency dependent effects are evident in barrier insertion loss data. In most cases, the barrier on the far side of the source did not significantly affect sound levels at the receiver. The most effective barrier design was found to be that of a gradual grass-covered slope up to an upright, thin barrier.     

NUMERICAL MODELLING OF MEDIAN ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE BARRIERS

Outdoor sound propagation from road traffic is modelled by solving a boundary integral equation formulation of the wave equation using boundary element techniques in two dimensions. In the first model, the source representing a traffic stream can be considered as a coherent line source of sound. The results can then be transformed to derive a pseudo-three dimensional solution to the problem. In the second model the line source is incoherent. For receivers near the ground, the second model predicted significantly higher values of ground attenuation than the first. The first model generally produced better agreement with ground attenuation results obtained using the U.K. traffic noise prediction model. For conditions when a noise barrier was present and the ground was absorbent, the incoherent line source model generally predicted significantly higher values of attenuation than those from the barrier and ground attenuation calculated separately. Over a range of receiver positions and barrier heights a similar, but less marked effect was observed when the coherent line source model was used. On dual carriageway roads, it is possible to incorporate barriers on the central reservation as a noise control measure. These are “median” noise barriers. The incoherent line source model is used to assess the performance of median barriers in reducing noise when installed alone and also with associated roadside barriers. A sound absorbent median noise barrier 1m in height produced consistent values of insertion loss of between 1 and 2dB over the range of receiver positions and ground conditions considered. When the median barrier was used in conjunction with a roadside barrier it produced a consistent improvement in insertion loss of between 1 and 2 dB over the range of conditions considered.     

Reduction of surface transport noise by ground roughness

Measured insertion losses due to the ground effects associated with low configurations of loosely stacked household bricks on a car park are reported. A particularly successful design has the form of a two brick high square lattice which is found to offer a similar insertion loss to regularly-spaced parallel wall arrays of the same height but twice the total width. Part of the insertion loss due to the roughness configurations is the result of transfer of incident sound energy to surface waves which can be reduced by introducing wall absorption or material absorption in the form, for example, of shallow gravel layer. Predicted finite length effects have been explored using a Pseudo-Spectral Time Domain Method, which models the complete 3D roughness profile. It is concluded from measurements and predictions that the lattice design has less dependence on azimuthal source-receiver angle than parallel wall configurations. These predictions are supported by measurements of level difference spectra as a function of azimuthal angle. A 2D Boundary Element Method gives predictions that agree well with data for parallel wall arrays up to 16 m long and it is used to investigate the potential insertion loss of longer configurations up to 0.3 m high. It has been found possible also to make predictions of the insertion loss due to infinitely long 3D lattices using the 2D BEM with the lattice represented by the surface impedance derived from fitting short range data with a slit-pore impedance model. The insertion losses of recessed configurations are predicted to be approximately 3 dB less than those of embossed configurations of the same size. Outdoor experiments also show that pathways can be made through such roughness configurations without significantly affecting their insertion loss. It is concluded that artificial roughness configurations could achieve substantial noise reduction along surface transport corridors without breaking line of sight between source and receiver, thereby proving useful alternatives to noise barriers.     

预测声屏障插入损失的抛物方程法及其初始声场研究

Salomons建立的抛物方程(CNPE)方法可以预测非均匀环境中的声屏障插入损失。但是该方法在声屏障与声源距离较近时会产生较大误差。文中通过理论分析发现产生该问题的原因在于CNPE方法所使用的Gauss初始场仅适用于小仰角(10°以内)范围内的声波。为解决Gauss初始场引起的问题,推导了可以用于较大仰角声波的更高阶数的Gauss初始场。通过数值仿真对比了不同阶数的初始场在CNPE方法中的效果。结果表明:4阶初始场是最适合CNPE方法的初始场,将该初始场与CNPE方法相结合,可以准确预测当声屏障与声源距离较近时的插入损失.      

A parametric investigation of the performance of T-profiled highway noise barriers and the identification of a potential predictive approach

Although a considerable amount of research has been undertaken regarding the performance of T-profile noise barriers, the information available to the practicing highway engineer is confusing. For example, there is a widespread belief that the performance of a top edge, expressed as an insertion loss relative to that of the simple barrier on which it is mounted, is constant, irrespective of the relative locations of the source, barrier and receiver. In order to clarify the situation an investigation has been undertaken, using computer modelling, of the performance afforded by highway noise barriers with T-profile tops with different acoustic treatments. The relative insertion loss was found to increase systematically with increasing top width. Although the relative insertion loss afforded by a reflective T-top is small, significant attenuation can be obtained with an absorptive top. Examination of the effect on performance of the locations of source and receiver relative to that of the noise barrier indicated that, for source and receiver locations typical of those experienced for highway noise barriers, the relative insertion loss for a given width of T-top was a function of (a) the path difference between sound travelling to the receiver via the barrier top and direct sound from the source to the receiver and (b) the barrier height. Plots of relative insertion loss versus the path difference, normalised with respect to barrier heights, for a range of T-top widths and absorbent treatment, resulted in a collapse of data around well defined trend lines which offer the potential of being developed into a prediction method.     

Noise attenuation by a hard wedge-shaped barrier

This paper is concerned with the problem of sound screening by a wedge-like barrier. The sound source is assumed to be point like, and the receiver is located in the shadow of the source sound field, so that according to geometrical optics only the field diffracted by the edge of the barrier is considered. First, for the hard wedge in space, three models are used for calculating the amplitude of the edge-diffracted field. These are the uniform theory of diffraction (UTD), the Hadden-Pierce model, both in the frequency domain, and the Biot-Tolstoy theory of diffraction which is a time domain formulation. It is first shown that even at relatively low frequencies, the frequency domain models perform quite satisfactorily as compared to the exact time domain theory. Hence, and due to its relative simplicity the UTD is proposed as an accurate calculation scheme for solving problems with edge diffraction by hard wedges. It is also proved from theoretical calculations that the amplitude of the edge-diffracted field increases for an increasing angle of the wedge, and consequently the hard half-plane gives the lowest field amplitude in the shadow zone. Some applications are then considered for evaluating the performance of a barrier on a flat ground, either completely hard or with mixed homogeneous boundary conditions. An improvement of the scheme for calculating the sound field in the all-hard case is achieved through considering the multiple diffraction, in this case only to the second order, between the top of the wedge barrier and its base. The results show that for usually occurring situations, increasing the angle of the hard wedge barrier affects negatively its efficiency through diminishing its insertion loss. These conclusions are also supported by the results of some experimental measurements conducted at a scale-model level.     

Measured light vehicle noise reduction by hedges

The acoustical effects of hedges result from a combination of physical noise reduction and their influences on perception. This study investigates the physical noise reduction so as to enable estimation of its relative importance. Different in-situ methods have been used to measure noise shielding by hedges. These include a statistical pass-by experiment where the real insertion loss of a hedge could be measured, three controlled pass-by experiments using a reference microphone at close distance, and transmission loss measurements using a point source. Thick dense hedges are found to provide only a small total A-weighted light vehicle noise reduction at low speeds. Measured insertion losses range from 1.1 dBA to 3.6 dBA. The higher noise reductions are found to be associated with an increased ground effect.     

Propagation of sound over grassland and over an earth barrier

A model for the calculation of effects of ground and a screen or a wedge shaped barrier on the transmission of sound has been tested by comparing calculated transmission losses with losses measured in real situations. With the model presented in this paper, the effect of a homogeneous ground with a finite or an infinite impedance, the effect of diffraction at a discontinuity in the impedance of the ground (e.g., the transition between road surface and adjacent grassland), and the combined effect of ground surface and a barrier with a finite or an infinite surface impedance can be handled. The incorporation of the effects of a discontinuity in the impedance of the ground and of the finiteness of the height of a barrier led to an additional improvement of the agreement between calculated and measured transmission losses.     

Fluorocarbon nano-coating of polyester fabrics by atmospheric air plasma with aerosol

A fluorocarbon coating was deposited on polyester (PET) woven fabric using pulse discharge plasma treatment by injecting a fluoropolymer directly into the plasma dielectric barrier discharge. The objective of the treatment was to improve the hydrophobic properties as well as the repellent behaviour of the polyester fabric. Plasma treatment conditions were optimised to obtain optimal hydrophobic properties which were evaluated using water contact angle measurement as well as spray-test method at the polyester fabric surface. The study showed that adhesion of the fluoropolymer to the woven PET was greatly enhanced by the air plasma treatment. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed chemical surface modifications occurring after the plasma treatments.     

A finite difference analysis of the field present behind an acoustically impenetrable two-layer barrier

The interaction of an incident sound wave with an acoustically impenetrable two-layer barrier is considered. Of particular interest is the presence of several acoustic wave components in the shadow region of this barrier. A finite difference model capable of simulating this geometry is validated by comparison to the analytical solution for an idealized, hard-soft barrier. A panel comprising a high air-content closed cell foam backed with an elastic (metal) back plate is then examined. The insertion loss of this panel was found to exceed the dynamic range of the measurement system and was thus acoustically impenetrable. Experimental results from such a panel are shown to contain artifacts not present in the diffraction solution, when acoustic waves are incident upon the soft surface. A finite difference analysis of this experimental configuration replicates the presence of the additional field components. Furthermore, the simulated results allow the additional components to be identified as arising from the S(0) and A(0) Lamb modes traveling in the elastic plate. These Lamb mode artifacts are not found to be present in the shadow region when the acoustic waves are incident upon the elastic surface.     

Performance of T-shape barriers with top surface covered with absorptive quadratic residue diffusers

A previous paper [Applied Acoustics 66 (2005) 709-730] has shown that adding a quadratic residue diffuser (QRD) to the top of a T-shape barrier can provide better barrier performance than an equivalent purely absorptive barrier. In here, we extend the study to look at the performance when a QRD is made absorptive. This paper presents an investigation on the acoustic performance of a few welled-diffusers with different absorption ability on top of a T-shape noise barrier. The absorption properties of the diffusers are modified with different sequences, by filling the wells with fiberglass, by covering the well entrance with wire meshes, and by putting perforated sheet either on the top surface or inside the wells. A 2D Boundary Element Method (BEM) is used to calculate the barrier insertion loss. The numerical and experimental results on diffuser barriers with rigid and absorptive covers are compared. Among the tested models the best method of treating diffuser barriers with absorbent agents in the QRD is found to be a perorated sheet on top or inside the diffuser wells. It is found that increasing the absorption ability of QRD by fiberglass or high resistance wire meshes has negative effect on the efficiency of a QRD barrier. It is shown that, if the increase in absorption destroys the effect of resonance in wells, it will also have negative effect on the insertion loss performance of the QRD edge barrier.     

A model for insertion loss degradation for parallel highway noise barriers

An algorithm is developed and validated for the prediction of the reduction, or degradation, of traffic noise barrier insertion loss when a second barrier is placed on the opposite side of the highway. The algorithm combines the basic emission, propagation, and barrier attenuation features of the Federal Highway Administration traffic noise prediction model with a geometrical acoustics approach for multiple reflections. The resultant model can accommodate any number of source lanes or receivers, three vehicle categories, and independently variable barrier heights and absorption coefficients. The model was validated against mathematical, scale model, and full scale field data received from other researchers, and has proved to be a good predictor of insertion loss degradation.     

A mathematical model for a single screen barrier in open-plan offices

In open-plan offices, single screen barriers are widely used to separate individual workplaces as a means of improving acoustical privacy. In this paper, a general model for calculating the insertion loss of a single screen barrier in the presence of a floor and a ceiling is developed using the image source technique. In addition to the acoustical properties of the floor and ceiling, this model also takes the sound absorption of the screen, the sound transmission through the screen and the interference between the sound waves into account. This model is able to separate the contribution of reflected sound and diffracted sound from the total sound pressure level at the receiving point, which can help indicate how best to improve the acoustical design of an open office. The mean differences between the predicted 1/3 octave band insertion loss values behind the screen and the corresponding measured results are within 2 dB.     

Deriving correction functions to model the efficiency of noise barriers with complex shapes using boundary element simulations

The boundary element method (BEM) is a commonly used method to compute the insertion loss of noise barriers having arbitrary cross-sections. For large scale three-dimensional problems, however, the BEM is not feasible. On the other hand, standardized calculation methods for noise mapping are efficient, but shapes other than the straight barrier cannot be properly calculated. Attempts to merge these two approaches by using BEM to derive correction functions based on geometrical quantities such as source and target angle as well as the path length elongation between source and receiver caused by the barrier were usually focused on a small set of barrier types, dimensions, absorptive configurations, source or receiver positions. The main objective of this study is to investigate which functions based on the most common geometrical parameters are well suited for approximating the efficiency of different types of barriers, dimensions and absorptive configurations. To achieve this, numerous combinations of 7 different barrier types, different heights and widths as well as 3 different absorptive configurations were simulated using the 2D BEM for 8 different source positions. The octave-band-wise efficiency, i.e. the frequency-dependent gain in insertion loss compared to an equally high, fully reflective straight barrier was used as a basis for the correction functions. Linear as well as polynomial models were compared yielding a polynomial of third degree in the source and fourth degree in the target angle as the best model. Effects on the error using uniform sampling in the target angle instead of a uniform receiver grid as a basis for the correction functions are also investigated. Furthermore, wide-band efficiencies based on standardized traffic emission spectra are calculated showing small errors compared to single-band errors, in particular in the high-frequency range. A linear interpolation scheme is suggested to deal with barriers having dimensions not simulated in this work.     

Performance of noise barriers with various edge shapes and acoustical conditions

The performances of barriers having different shapes and surface conditions were tested using the boundary element method in a well-controlled environment. The heights and widths of the barriers were standardized and the insertion losses for six receiver positions were averaged and compared. Figures displaying the results allow for straightforward barrier performance estimation. It was shown that absorbing and soft edges significantly improve the efficiency of the barrier, but configuration modifications provide only a slight improvement. The soft T-shaped barrier produces the highest performance. A 3 m high T-shaped barrier provides the same performance as a 10 m high plain barrier. The spectral efficiency was also investigated. The insertion loss spectra for the absorbing and the soft barriers exhibit a similar shape, but the rigid barrier differs from these two.     

Sound propagation around rigid barriers laterally confined by tall buildings

This paper focuses on the propagation of sound waves in the presence of acoustic barriers placed close to very tall buildings. The boundary element method (BEM) is used to model the acoustic barrier, while the presence of the tall buildings is taken into account by using the image source method. Different geometries are analyzed, representing the cases of a single building, two buildings forming a corner and three buildings defining a laterally confined space. The acoustic barrier is assumed to be non-absorbing, and all the buildings and the ground are modeled as infinite rigid plane surfaces. Calculations are performed in the frequency domain and time signals are then obtained by means of Inverse Fourier Transforms. The sound pressure loss provided by the acoustic barrier is computed, illustrating the importance of the lateral confinements.     

平行声屏障的陷波模态及其插入损失优化

为了改善平行声屏障的性能,本文基于有限元仿真的方法对其陷波模态和插入损失进行了研究。其中,陷波模态是平行声屏障的固有性质,与其几何参数有关。当陷波模态处于共振频率时,平行声屏障内部声场的声能量达到峰值,同时声波垂直入射到声屏障的顶端,使声影区的衍射声能也达到峰值,最终导致插入损失显著下降。本文还对3种优化平行声屏障插入损失的方法进行了分析。结果表明,楔形和扩散型声屏障可降低声波的多次反射效应对插入损失的影响,但是对陷波模态的改善较小。而吸声型声屏障有效的抑制了陷波模态对插入损失的不利影响,从而改善了平行声屏障的性能。     

A boundary element method for the calculation of noise barrier insertion loss in the presence of atmospheric turbulence

Atmospheric turbulence is an important factor that limits the amount of attenuation a barrier can provide in the outdoor environment. It is therefore important to develop a reliable method to predict its effect on barrier performance. The boundary element method (BEM) has been shown to be a very effective technique for predicting barrier insertion loss in the absence of turbulence. This paper develops a simple and efficient modification of the BEM formulation to predict the insertion loss of a barrier in the presence of atmospheric turbulence. The modification is based on two alternative methods: (1) random realisations of log-amplitude and phase fluctuations of boundary sources and (2) de-correlation of source coherence using the mutual coherence function (MCF). An investigation into the behaviours of these two methods is carried out and simplified forms of the methods developed. Some systematic differences between the predictions from the methods are found. When incorporated into the BEM formulation, the method of random realisations and the method of MCF de-correlation provide predictions that agree well with predictions by the parabolic equation method and by the scattering cross-section method on a variety of thin barrier configurations.